Explaining 72 Hour Kits To Your Family
I remember as a child, sitting in a circle on the living room floor with my parents and siblings. A big pile of supplies was in the middle of the circle and each of us were holding backpacks with our names on them. We were preparing our 72 hour kits in case of an emergency. Each person took turns picking out the items we would carry as our parents explained how to use them. The things I remember most were the Twinkies, which everyone knows last forever, and my little film canister filled with quarters. With AT&T leading the way in giving up the pay phone business, that little roll of quarters wouldn’t do much good these days.
Now as an adult with a family of my own, it is my responsibility to make sure that each member of my family has a 72 hour kit and knows how to use them. Some of the items, such as water, toothbrushes, and toilet paper are self explanatory, but other items need to be explained, especially to younger children. A great way to explain the different items is to turn it into a game. For example, with the emergency whistles you can have each family member take turns at finding a hiding place in the house and then blowing the whistle so the rest of the family can find them. Then explain that this is what they should do if they get separated from the family.
Emergency blankets can be demonstrated by laying a blanket flat on the ground. Then have a family member lay on the blanket leaving about a foot of material below their feet. Fold the blanket up over the feet and then fold the sides in across the body. Explain that this blanket is not like traditional blankets in that it is not meant to warm you up, but rather to keep you from losing body heat until help can arrive.
With older children you could write down the name of all the items in your kit on separate pieces of paper. Have each family member take turns drawing slips of paper. Allow time for each member to research their items. Then everyone takes turns demonstrating or explaining the use of the items. All of the items included in 72 hour kits are easy to use, but if you take the time to explain and demonstrate them to your children, when the time comes to use them your children will be familiar with the items and feel less anxious with the situation.
